Caitlin Ryan
Caitlin Ryan (born March 2, 1972*) is a Canadian journalist and the former host of Ryan's Planet and is on the CQJH show, Local Heroes." She was portrayed by Stacie Mistysyn. Caitlin, Original Degrassi Season 1-5 Starts as: Grade 7 Caitlin was born to a father whom was a teacher and a vice principal mother on March 2, 1972*. This likely had an influence on her becoming a strong academic student. It is mentioned in the series that she has a brother named Patrick, but he is never seen on the show. She also suffers from epilepsy and has suffered from seizures when she hadn't taken her medication. With her intelligence came a strong will. She is opinionated, passionate, and outspoken towards many social issues such as the environment, animal rights, and feminism. In grade seven, Caitlin was a contributing writer to Degrassi Junior High's newspaper. She was promoted to newspaper editor in grade 8. Whether it be through the school newspaper, after-school clubs, or other pro-active avenues, Caitlin always had an inclination to be a crusader, on any issues, to a fault. One of those issues included writing a controversial article for the school newspaper about Christine Nelson (Spike) getting suspended by Degrassi for being pregnant. Not only did the column draw the ire of the school faculty, but also of Spike for what she felt was bringing more needless attention to her hardship and Caitlin's exploitation of the hardship as her cause of the week. Another controversial issue included animal testing. Initially, she wrote an article condemning it and urged a boycott of products that were tested on animals. Unfortunately, she later realized that in forming her opinion on it, she failed to do enough research on the topic and to look at both sides of the issue, particularly after realizing that her epilepsy medication was animal tested. Caitlin once struggled with her sexual identity, unsure about whether or not she was a lesbian because of the feelings and dreams she had towards Ms. Avery, one of her teachers who she respected. Ms. Avery helped Caitlin sort through her feelings and realize that just because she had feelings towards Ms. Avery didn't necessarily mean she was gay. Caitlin had a small circle of friends, but in Degrassi Junior High her best friend was Susie Rivera. In Degrassi High, her best friend was the paraplegic Maya Goldberg. In grade seven, Caitlin developed an infatuation with Rick Munro. When he moved away, she gradually began a relationship with Joey Jeremiah. That relationship was short-lived after entering high school when she met Claude Tanner. His intellectual manner combined with his mutual interest in social activism was in stark contrast to Joey's immature attitude and general disinterest in art and social issues. Her relationship with Claude ended, however, when Claude abandoned Caitlin at a nuclear plant where they were spray painting graffiti. When a security guard spotted them, Caitlin's jacket was caught in the chain link fence, and Claude offered no assistance in freeing her and fled. To add further damage, and ultimately sealing any chance of getting back together, Claude selfishly refused to attend Caitlin's court hearing. Caitlin was sentenced to several hours of community service for her crime. In addition to her legal trouble, Caitlin also had to deal with her father's infidelity which left her family emotionally crippled. Caitlin's latest role as activist included soliciting signatures for a "letter of protest" (which was really Caitlin's euphemism for a petition) against the "firing" of Ms. Avery as Degrassi High's librarian. When it turned out that Ms. Avery wasn't fired (she decided to quit because she didn't want to be re-assigned as a roving teacher), Caitlin's embarrassment led her to confront the teacher she respected over misleading her and her decision to quit the teaching profession. Despite being initially angered over Ms. Avery's attitude, Caitlin ultimately attended her farewell party. At the party, Caitlin learned that Ms. Avery took her opinion to heart and, while not accepting the offer, decided to get a job in Northern Canada. When Claude committed suicide the following year, Caitlin and Joey eventually reconciled and got back together by year's end. The relationship carried on into the following year where Joey asked to be engaged to her. She initially declined, citing the uncertainty of her future. As the summer progressed, she lost her virginity to Joey and eventually accepted Joey's engagement proposal. Their engagement, however, only lasted about ten minutes when she later found out Joey was "fucking Tessa Campinelli." Caitlin continued with her life after high school without Joey by enrolling into Carleton University to study journalism. For seasons 1 and 2, Caitlin sported a crop hairdo, occasionally with a headband. For seasons 3 and 4, it grew to shoulder length with a blonde streak on her right. '''Parents': Caitlin's parents were played by Dona Hird and Steve Behal. However, during the second season of Degrassi High, Caitlin's philandering father was played by Martin Brown. Caitlin, Degrassi: The Next Generation (seasons 2-5, 7): Her crusader inclinations as a youth, combined with her journalism degree, begat a career as a television journalist of national recognition on Degrassi: The Next Generation. She hosts an environmental television program called Ryan's Planet." As an adult, she has also developed a propensity to be klutzy at times. In the series premiere of DTNG, it was revealed that Caitlin was living in the Los Angeles area and was engaged to a Hollywood producer named Keith. However, at the school reunion, it is revealed that Keith feels that Caitlin was "pushing this marriage thing". Keith goes on to say that marrying a high-profile journalist like her would mean having her career "take a back seat" to his because he's "about to hit it big". Caitlin learns about Keith's doubts about going through with marriage to her and promptly breaks up with him. Caitlin later confides with Joey that her rushing into marriage was a product of her relationship insecurities. Later, in Season 3, Caitlin moves back to Toronto after her U.S. television program had ended. She gets a job working at local television station CQJH on the show ''Local Heroes as a journalist. She found Joey in a relationship with a woman named Sydney, and jealously quickly emerged. Sydney grew distrustful of Joey due to his close friendship with Caitlin and later questioned whom he loved. Joey and Sydney broke up and Caitlin and Joey ended up kissing at the airport that same night. Later that year Caitlin was informed that there was interest in a piece she had done on HIV/AIDS a year previously. After some emotional talks with Joey (and references to "promises he didn't keep" (their engagement)), she decides to leave for a trip around the world for nine months to do her piece. The next season, Caitlin returns during troubled times for the Jeremiah family. Joey's car dealership is doing badly and his house has been put on the market by his ex, Sydney. Caitlin makes a deal with Sydney, giving closure to their hostility, and buys the house for Joey. This causes a feud between Joey and Caitlin, but is quickly put to rest when they learn that there has been a school shooting at Degrassi. Later that year, Caitlin meets with Kevin Smith to interview him about his new movie Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh? Kevin chooses Degrassi as the set for the movie and things heat up between him and Caitlin on set. Later, Caitlin's boss and her get into a fight over Caitlin's skills as a journalist and he ends up taking her off the Kevin Smith story. Caitlin, feeling a lack of freedom, quits her job on Local Heroes and ends up at a bar with Kevin Smith where she, while drunk, makes out with him. She heads back to Joey's house, still drunk, and proposes to Joey. Joey accepts, and the wedding plans are on. Caitlin then, surprisingly, gets an offer to revive her show Ryan's Planet, courtesy of Kevin Smith. Caitlin reveals to Kevin she is engaged to Joey, and an argument emerges. Facing a tough decision, she takes it out on Joey and they decide not to get married after agreeing that all they do is fight. Caitlin takes Kevin up on his offer and leaves with him to Los Angeles during a tearful goodbye. Caitlin appeared in only one episode in season five. In it, Emma Nelson arranged for Caitlin's visit from Los Angeles to see her mother, Spike, and console her after her husband, Archie Simpson (Snake), made out with the school principal. In the Season 7 episode "Jessie's Girl", Ellie Nash caught a drunken Caitlin and Jesse Stefanovic making out. Caitlin was in town to promote her new movie about environmental awareness. Relationships: *Joey Jeremiah''' **First Relationship:' ***Start Up: '"Twenty Bucks"' (310) Original Series ***Break up: '"Everybody Wants Something"' (405) Original Series ****Reason: It was revealed that Caitlin liked Claude Tanner. **Second Relationship: ***Start Up: '"One Last Dance"' (513) Original Series ***Break Up: ''School's Out (TV Movie) ****Reason: Joey cheated on Caitlin with Tessa Campanelli. **Third Relationship ***Start Up: "Holiday, Part 2" (312) The Next Generation ***Break Up: "Going Down The Road, Part 2" (422) The Next Generation ****Reason: Caitlin moved to LA to further pursue her career breaking off their engagement. *Claude Tanner''' **Start Up: "Everybody wants Something" (405) Original Series **Break Up: "All In A Good Cause" (411) Original Series ***Reason: Claude leaves Caitlin hanging after a protest. *'Keith' **Start Up: Before "Mother and Child Reunion" (101) The Next Generation **Break Up: "Mother and Child Reunion, Part 2" (102) The Next Generation ***Reason: Keith felt that Caitlin was pushing marriage. She broke up with him after Joey exposed Keith's marriage doubts (* Although many Grade 7 first season characters have birthdays in 1975 (and Caitlin alone in 1972), since Emma Nelson, daughter of a Grade 8 student, was born in June 1989, and since Grade 7s start at the age of 11 or 12 and finish at 12 or 13, 1975 birthdays should be retconned as 1976. A March 197'2''' birthdate for Caitlin is quite extreme. *This 1972 birthdate was spoken by Emma Nelson in the premiere episode of Degrassi: The Next Generation'', and may represent an enthusiastic mis-speak or mis-read by Emma, as the year 1972 makes Caitlin aged 16 on starting Grade 7! Since the date is not seen on an official document or spoken by an official person, it can be regarded as apocryphal, perhaps influenced by Stacie Mistysyn's birthdate of 23 July 1971.)'' 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